Taking The Heat
by BlueSunflower
Summary: Sam's problems never end. In progress. Updated with Ch. 5 and an author's note.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Depending on my laptop, this will either be a quick story or one that will take forever. Altogether it's looking like 4 chapters. And: Thanks, ck!

* * *

It's so nice to be happy, Sam thought as his girlfriend giggled and lightly swatted him. Andi was sitting on the kitchen table at her house, and he was standing in front of her, feeding her spoonfuls of Cheerios. It was morning, and she looked gorgeous wearing one of her dad's oversized button shirts that she used to sleep in. Sam was wearing his t-shirt and a pair of boxers. But instead of feeding her food, he'd turn the spoon away at the last second and dive in for a kiss instead.

"Sam, stop it!" God, she was so beautiful when she laughed.

He quirked a mischievous smile as once again he captured her lips in a deep kiss. "Mmm. Breakfast tastes good today."

"You're so hot," Andi murmured as she lifted his shirt off and threw it.

"You're not so bad yourself." He grinned as the bowl of cereal joined his shirt on the floor.

They were alternating between making out and giggling when suddenly they heard a noise. Both whipped around, and the source of the noise became painfully clear.

It was Andi's mother, staring at them in shock. Her purse and luggage bag had obviously dropped heavily to the floor.

Andi screamed and dashed out of the kitchen, leaving Sam standing there alone with her mom. "Hi, Mrs. Prendergast," he said weakly.

"Hello, Sam."

"We, uh, weren't expecting you back until later."

"I took an earlier flight."

"Good, good. That's good." Sam stumbled awkwardly. He could feel himself turning bright red. Looking down, he saw his shirt lying a couple of feet away. He tried to remain casual walking over to pick it up, but knew he failed miserably. "I, uh, better go follow Andi, and uh, get dressed now. I, uh, have to be to work soon."

Mrs. Prendergast said nothing.

It was official. Hell could swallow him up whole right now. He wanted to _die_.

* * *

"So let me get this straight. You and Andi were about to - y'know - generate some stovetop heat without actually _using _the stovetop, when her mom walked in?"

"It's not funny, Sock!"

Ben sniggered. "Yeah, Sam. It really is."

Sock laid back on the lawn chair again, still laughing. They were in the stockroom at the Bench. "I'm surprised you didn't act like she did and run girlishly from the room too. It's what you usually do when you get scared by a soul."

"Shut up." Sam made a mental note to find better friends who would actually commiserate. "Man, the worst part was gathering my clothes before I could escape. I'd left most of them in the living room. It's hard to be dignified getting dressed in front of your girlfriend's mom." At the table, he slumped down into the chair next to Ben. "I swear, it was the most humiliating experience of my life."

Ben looked up in surprise. "Really, Sam? More embarrassing than that time we almost died dressed as giant condoms?"

"Or the time we were glued together with that stupid Christmas sweater when we caught that blob guy?" Sock added helpfully.

"Or the time Andi caught you playing dress up with the mannequins?"

"Oh yeah!" Sock exclaimed, while Ben nodded eagerly. "You said that was the most humiliating moment of your life too."

Sam just glared at them. "You're not helping."

"Oh, come on, Sam. It's not that bad." Still snickering, Ben tried to reassure him. "Her mom loves you. All things considered, it could have been a lot worse. It could have scared Andi off sex for life."

"Yeah, well, that may still be a very real possibility. She wants to meet me on my lunch break at some new place. I have a feeling I'll find out then." He sighed, got up, and walked over to pick up the box of new inventory he was supposed to stock. "Time to get to work, I guess. Might as well get started on these."

As soon as he picked the box up, however, it transformed into something he was pretty sure no longer contained shelving brackets. "Uh, vessel, guys."

Sock and Ben both jumped up excitedly. "Oooh, what is it this time?"

"Not sure, Ben. Kinda have to open it to see." Sam unlatched the box, and waved away the smoke. Then he reached in and pulled the object out.

Sock whined. "What? Another hair dryer? We've already had one of these!" He bellowed to the floor. "Way to be original there, Satan!"

"What do you think it means, Sam?"

"No idea, Ben. But I'm sure I'll find out soon." He sighed. "Meantime, I'd better go find the inventory lists and adjust them to account for yet another missing box before Ted finds out and goes on the warpath again. Otherwise he'll add even more video cameras, and he might finally think to cover the stockroom and break room."

All three pondered the things that happened in those areas they wouldn't want Ted to see.

"Yeah, that would be bad," Ben agreed.

As they started to walk out the swinging doors into the main part of the store, Sock suddenly stopped. "Oh! I got another one! What about the time we got stranded in the middle of the Seattle Seahawks' locker room when all the cheerleaders came in to undress?"

Sam narrowed his eyes. "Okay, now you're just making things up."

Sock looked disappointed. Wistfully, he sighed. "Damn. I was afraid that was more of dream I had than a real-life embarrassment."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you for the comments. I'm trying to get as much done before I have to send my laptop in to be repaired.

* * *

Funny, this didn't look like a restaurant.

Sam walked up to the split townhouse and stopped. Puzzled, he double-checked the address. Yep, he'd got it right. This was definitely the place Andi gave him to meet for lunch.

Wondering what his girlfriend was up to, Sam continued up to the nearest door and knocked.

Andi opened it immediately and her face lit up. "Hey! You made it!" She wrapped her arms around him and they kissed. But when she pulled back, a frown marred her face, and she reached a hand to his forehead. "Honey, are you okay? You seem a little warm."

Sam reached up and felt his forehead too. He _was _a bit warm to the touch. "That's weird. Maybe I'm coming down with something. I feel fine right now, though." He smiled and held up a small bouquet of roses. "And like the good boyfriend I am, I even brought you flowers."

His girlfriend melted. She took the flowers and inhaled their scent. "Oh! They're beautiful, Sam." She opened the door wider to allow him access. "C'mon in."

Walking past her, he entered the apartment and scanned around. The place had an entryway, a moderate living space, and a small kitchen. At one end was a flight of stairs. The only furniture was a folding table and two chairs which Sam recognized from the Bench. There were two place settings, and an additional plate stacked with a few sandwiches. "When you told me to meet you for lunch, I didn't realize the address you gave me wasn't a restaurant."

Andi went over and put the roses on the counter. "So, what do you think?" Her voice held a hint of worry, as if afraid he wouldn't like it.

"It's very nice. I can see you being happy here."

"Yeah," she smiled in relief. "It's a one bedroom, but it's got plenty of space. It even comes with a dishwasher, washer, and dryer. Plus, it's near work _and _school, so I won't have to spend all my time traveling like I did when I lived at Mom's. I signed the lease an hour ago."

"You're moving out of your mom's house _today_?"

"After this morning, can you blame me? I need some privacy. **We **need some privacy."

"We have privacy." Sam defended. "At my place."

His girlfriend crossed her arms and told him pointedly, "Laying on the bed in your room watching a movie, while Sock stands outside mimicking porno songs is not my idea of privacy, Sam." Andi sighed. "Truth is, I've been thinking about this for awhile and today was just the last straw. I've been looking around and found this place a couple of days ago. It was still available this morning, so I grabbed it. Mom was all for it. I can't always rely on her to take care of me, you know. I have to grow up and leave the nest someday."

"How come you didn't mention this last night? Or this morning?"

"I was, uh, going to." She moved in closer to play with his shirt, and gave a coy grin. "That is, until we got distracted with other things."

Sam laced his fingers with hers. "Andi, I know how much you make at the Bench. Can you afford this place all on your own?"

She hesitated before answering, and for some reason the shy look on her face made him nervous. "That's the thing, Sam. It is a little pricey here. I will need to get a roommate."

"Josie's already got her own condo, hon, I don't think she'll want to move." Why Andi ever thought she would baffled him. Josie's place was also much nicer, since she made more money than all her friends combined. "And besides, if it's a one bedroom, where would she sleep?"

"I'm not asking Josie to move in with me."

This puzzled him even more now. "Then how are we going to have any privacy if you have another girl here? And as your boyfriend, there is no way I'm gonna let you move in with another m-"

She cut him off in exasperation. "Sam! There is no other girl **or **guy! Do you honestly not know what I'm trying to say here?"

In an instant, Sam knew how deer felt when they stood in headlights. _Crap_. He was so stupid. How could he have not seen this coming? Suddenly he really **did **feel hot. Panicking, he grasped at any excuse he could to escape.

"Uh, you know what, I was wrong," he babbled, "I really don't feel good." He backed up towards the door, quickly running into it. "Maybe I am coming down with something."

He turned around and struggled with the deadbolt. Unfortunately, all he did was end up locking himself in. "It's probably something really bad too, so I should go. To protect you." At long last, he managed to get the door open, but knocked his head in the process. "I'd feel really bad if I gave you the…plague or something." Finally able to flee, he called out lamely as he closed the door, "I love you!"

Andi shook her head in amusement and went to put the sandwiches away. "_Men_."

* * *

What the hell? When he turned around outside the townhouse, Sam suddenly discovered he'd walked straight into what was clearly a meat locker, judging by all the sides of beef that were hanging from the ceiling. Oddly, he didn't feel cold, even though everything was coated with ice.

"This isn't funny!" he yelled into the room, but received no answer. Sighing, he turned around to try and find the door.

Only to jump and yelp when he walked straight into the frozen body of a dead man.

"Thought I'd cool you off a bit there, Hot Stuff."

"Would you _please _stop doing this!"

"Stop doing what, sport?"

"Freaking me out!" Sam gestured wildly at the corpse. "For Pete's sake, his eyes are still open!"

"Yeah, poor guy. He's frozen in time, you might say."

Sam groaned. "I'm guessing he was killed by the soul?"

"Ah, so smart, Sammy. Always putting two and two together." The Devil opened up a file, and Sam moved over to look. The picture was of a middle-aged, stocky man. Sam rather thought he looked a bit like Brutus from those old _Popeye _cartoons he used to watch as a child.

"His name was Martin Fletcher, and he was a butcher in his former life. Only let's just say that not all of Marty's meats came from the four-legged variety." Sam grimaced and the Devil continued fondly. "Yeah, old Marty. Cold as ice, that one. What he did to his victims…"

Interrupting the trip down memory lane Sam was positive he didn't want to hear, he asked, "So what's Fletcher's beef with the dead guy?"

"Oh, him?" The Devil gestured towards the corpse. "Wrong place, wrong time - not to mention he got interrupted. You see, Marty usually likes to stick to his comfort zone and would bring his victims to his own shop before going to work on them. But this guy is a good five miles from the place."

Without warning, the Devil threw an arm around Sam and started to steer him towards a nearby wall.

"But forget about all that and let's focus on the topic at hand. Andi just asked you to move in and you freaked." The Devil's ability to change subjects at the speed of light never ceased to amaze Sam. "Seriously, kiddo, what's the issue? As much as I love commitment-phobes, somehow I sense that's not what's going on here."

Arriving at the wall, they both materialized on the other side. Sam twisted to get away. "It's none of your business."

"A gorgeous woman just offered you the opportunity to live in sin. I'd say that's very much my business. C'mon, Sammy. Talk to me."

"You know why I can't live with her, and why we can't have a permanent future together."

The demon sighed. "No, Sam, I'm afraid I don't."

Sam hesitated. "Don't tell me you don't know what Tony said…about how I could be your son. Things are different now."

Suddenly, there was a chill in the air that made Sam shiver more than he ever had when he was in the freezer. He had no idea what he'd done to deserve such a change in attitude.

It didn't take him long to find out.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot," the Devil mocked with contempt, "Heaven forbid you should take responsibility for your own life."

Stung, Sam stared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

No longer acting concerned, the Devil derided, "It means this is typical of you. Giving up when things get tough. And surprise, surprise, using me as an excuse to do it. It's never _your _fault, is it Sammy?"

Getting angry himself, Sam shot back. "Stop treating me like a child. I'm protecting her, and I won't let you make me regret that. Everything has changed, and you know it."

For some reason, that only made the Devil angrier. "So, everything has changed, and all because of me, hmm? That's interesting, Sammy, because I have to say I don't see it. You still have your same dead-end job and still live in your same crappy apartment. You have no money and no desire to change it. So tell me, kiddo, what exactly are you protecting Andi from? Your incompetence?"

In that moment, Sam knew his parents and teachers were wrong. _Hate _wasn't nearly as strong a word as he would like. Not even _loathe _was enough to cover how he felt towards the demon standing before him.

Sam did his best not to show his hurt, anger, and resentment. He tried to maintain a neutral tone, but knew he wasn't very successful. "Are you done?"

Apparently not. "If you want me to treat you as an adult, stop acting like a child. I get tired of coddling you all the time, Sam. It's time you start learning to grow up." With that, the Devil turned around and disappeared back through the wall.

Sam didn't know how long he stood there in his humiliation. Finally, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. It took him three attempts before he finally stopped shaking enough to call his friends to come pick him up.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you to catko and evilalex for their help, and for putting up with me tonight. Especially to catko and her suggestions. People, you wouldn't have this chapter if it wasn't for her. Thanks again for the reviews! It's also looking like it might be 5 chapters now.

* * *

"He's wrong, you know." Sam gazed miserably out the back window as he sat in the rear of Ben's old Datsun. He was still having difficulty shaking off the sting from his latest encounter with the Devil. "I have perfectly good reasons for not getting more involved with Andi."

"Of course you do, Sam." Ben sighed. "And we know too, since you've now gone on about all of them for the past twenty minutes straight."

"Sorry," Sam mumbled. Oddly, Sock said nothing. He had been silent ever since Sam related the event with Andi, and later with the Devil. Sam tried to change the subject. "Are you sure Ted won't notice we're not back to work?"

"Yeah." Once again Ben was the one to answer. "He's busy in gardening right now. Some pranksters put holes in all the hoses, and then forgot to turn the water off." Ben laughed as he nudged a still somber Sock. "The place looks like Noah and the Ark could live in it. Is this the address, Sam?"

Sam looked down in the file folder he'd found while waiting for his friends to pick him up. "Yeah, looks like it. The Devil said Fletcher liked to stay in his comfort zone, so might as well check out his old butcher shop first. Maybe we'll get lucky and something will finally go right today."

Ben pulled over and parked across the street. "It would be nice if we had an easy catch," he agreed.

Sock jumped out of the car first. "So what's the plan, Kemo Sabe?"

The other two climbed out, but Sam was still distracted. "Guys, what am I going to do?"

Finally, Sock lost it. "Oh, wah, wah, wah, Sam! 'My girlfriend loves me!' 'She wants to spend all her free time with me!' So what if you might have been begat by Beelzebub! A hot chick wants to live with you just so she can bang you all the time whenever she feels like it!"

Sock gestured angrily between himself and Ben. "Meanwhile, what about us people with **real **problems, Sam? Like Benji and me. What are we gonna do for rent when you move out? I might actually have to _work _for a living, Sam! Get a **real **job!"

He stormed off towards the building, leaving Sam standing there stunned. A hand of comfort was placed on his shoulder.

"Ignore him, Sam. He's just upset."

"About what?" This day was getting worse by the minute. "What possible reason does he have to be upset about?"

Ben just gave a knowing smile. "Sometimes it's hard to accept that the only constant in life is change."

"What should I do, Ben?"

"Sam, I can't give you the answer. Only you know what you want. I can tell you this, though, I never see you happier than when you're with Andi. Your whole being lights up whenever she's around."

Sam digested this silently for a minute, then sadly shook his head. "I'm going to lose her, Benji. She'll leave the moment she finds out the truth. If I'm really his son, then there is no escape for me. Everyone I love will always be in danger, just by knowing me."

"You don't know any of that," Ben responded. "Besides, she already knows about your job as a bounty hunter for Satan, and she doesn't seem to mind. In fact, she often does a better job helping you out than Sock and me."

Sam was silent for a moment before quietly saying, "I'm going to Hell, Ben."

"Then maybe, Sam, that's all the more reason for you to grab Heaven while you're still on Earth."

They both turned to the store when they heard a very Sock-like scream emitting from it.

"We should probably go save him."

Sam sighed. "Yeah. Did you bring the vessel?"

Ben pulled the hairdryer out of his bag. "Locked and loaded."

"Good. You go around the back and sneak up on him. I'll go in through the front and cause a distraction. You can blast him from behind."

"Sounds like a plan." Ben took off with the vessel.

* * *

Sam entered the building, only to have a strange object fly past his face at an astonishing speed, narrowly missing him. It thudded against the wall, and fell to the floor.

He walked over and picked it up. The now blunt object was in fact a frozen icicle, but it was quickly melting in his hand. Sam looked up to discover other icicles imbedded in the wall. Unlike the one in his hand, however, these icicles still retained their deadly sharpness.

Hearing a noise, Sam walked further into the building. He spotted Ben enter from the other side. Ben saw him too, and then they both found the source of the noise.

Sock was pinned to a wall, pieces of ice holding him tight. Sam was closest to him. Fletcher was several yards away, with his back to Sock. He seemed to be searching for something in one of his drawers.

"Now, I just have to find the right tool. Don't want to start out with too much pain. That's always best saved for the end…"

Sock whimpered, and Sam nodded to Ben, who nodded back. He took the vessel out of his bag and took aim at the soul.

* * *

Ben switched the power on. The hairdryer started to whir, but did nothing to capture the soul. He shook it, but still nothing - even though the hairdryer clearly had power. The soul was getting closer to Sock, so he tried banging it. "SAM!" he panicked, "it's not working! I mean, it's working, it's just not _working_!"

A chilling voice soared through the air. "Oh, let me guess. It must be the bounty hunter." Fletcher turned around to look at Ben, and noticed how far off he was. "Ah, but you're too far away to save your rather meaty friend. I think I'll take care of him first, then finish you off last."

Large icicle daggers appeared in his hands. He gave an evil grin, turned around, and sent them flying towards Sock.

At that moment, Ben caught Sam's eyes. The determination he saw there scared him like nothing he'd ever seen before.

"Sam! NO!"

But Sam ignored him. Instead, he ran straight for Sock. In that second, Ben knew. He just knew.

One of them wasn't going to make it.

Ben watched in horror as Sam dived towards Sock, fully intent on taking the onslaught of frozen daggers.

And then blinked when both his friends vanished into midair.

* * *

"What the Hell just happened?"

"I don't know." Sam had never been so confused. They were now standing in a kitchen, not far from where they were before. "Did I do that?" His hands were still on Sock, and they both watched as all the ice on Sock's shirt melted away.

"YOU WON'T TAKE ME BACK!"

The two whipped around to see an enraged Fletcher heading their way, but before they could react, they were distracted by the sounds of clinking metal.

They both looked at each other, puzzled. Then they looked up.

Sam had transported them directly underneath a section of ceiling covered with precariously hanging knives - and the soul coming straight at them.

"Ohhh, not good. Notgoodnotgoodnotgoodnotgood. SAM!"

Fletcher grinned coldly, then raised his hands to freeze the knives. They started swaying dangerously and several started to fall.

"RUN!" Sam yelled. They took off out the door, with Ben catching up. They ran straight to Ben's car and jumped in. Ben frantically tried to start it, but in his panic all he could do was fumble with the keys.

An icicle shot through the side window. Like the others, it was as sharp as a dagger. It shattered the glass and narrowly missed Sock. He screamed, "BEN!"

Another hit the back tire and Sam joined in with the screaming. "START THE CAR!!"

"YOU'RE NOT HELPING!"

Finally getting the right key, Ben turned the ignition and the engine roared to life. Popping the clutch, he floored the gas, and they shot out of the parking lot - one last icicle almost hitting them in their wake.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm really sorry this is so late, and I'm also sorry I didn't get it finished before the show made it completely not resemble canon in any way shape or form in like, the S2 Premiere (which was all kinds of awesome, btw). Thank you for your patience, though. I decided I would finish the story anyways, since it *does* have a complete plot in my head. There should be 2 more chapters, which I am working on and will hopefully have up in a lot less time than it took to do this one.

ETA: Please help save Reaper. It's very much in danger of cancellation right now. Click on my profile to find out all the simple ways you can help. Thank you.

* * *

"Your powers really do suck, Sam."

"Thanks, Ben," Sam said as sarcastically as he could with a themometer in his mouth. Hours ago, they'd returned to the Bench - only to run straight into Ted, now on the warpath over the flooding prank. They had acquiesced without a word when he had handed them brooms and pointed straight to the Garden Center.

As time passed, however, and with Sam now emitting so much heat the waves were visible, the Garden Center had started turning into a gigantic sauna. They'd quickly escaped, and had been hiding out in the stockroom ever since. Now that the store was closed, Andi had joined them.

"No, Sam. They _suck_ suck. You can blip us?! Why do we not know this? More importantly, _WHY ARE WE NOT IN TAHITI RIGHT NOW?_" Sock waved his arms around to emphasize his point. "We could be drinking coladas with those cool umbrella thingies, and partying with scantily clad chicks!"

"I've told you guys, I can't control them! I wish I could, but the Devil only uses them to mess with me!"

In danger of being hit with a flying thermometer if Sam continued his rant, Andi finally reached over and took it out of his mouth. Glancing at the readout, she sighed. "Well, this one says the same thing as all the others: 98.6F. There's nothing wrong with you." Tossing it onto a nearby table next to where he sat, she tried to touch him with a finger, but sharply pulled back in pain. "Except now your skin is too hot to even touch."

"You know, I think Sock has a point," said Ben thoughtfully. "Maybe it's not your powers that suck, it's _you_. What if the Devil isn't messing with you at all? I mean, if he's your...uh," he snuck a glance at Andi, who arched a brow in suspicion, "well, let's just say no matter how you got them, they're your powers right? Maybe you just need to learn how to control them."

"Who do you suggest teach me, Ben? It's not like I can go to a class or anything."

"True." Ben was silent for a moment, pondering. Choosing his words with care, he finally suggested, "Now don't kill the messenger or anything, but maybe you could ask the Devil." Again, he stole a quick look at Andi, who now narrowed _both_ eyes at him this time. "After all, he's, uh, really the only one we, uh, know who has powers like yours."

Recognizing the hot water Ben was fast getting them into, Sam shot a warning look towards Sock. Getting the message, Sock started pulling Ben towards the back door before Andi could reach her boiling point. "Hey, Sam? Benji and I are, uh, we're gonna go get some supplies. Y'know, for when the Ice Man Cometh."

"Wait," Andi looked incredulous, freezing them in their tracks. "The soul is coming here?"

They exchanged guilty glances, before Ben finally admitted, "He, uh, may have seen the rather large Bench magnet I had on the side of my car." He feebly added as Andi glared icily at him, "Hey, I was on company time!"

"Seriously," she said in exasperation, "how are you guys not dead yet?"

"Sockitude. Never fails," bragged Sock, conveniently forgetting he was the one who nearly got them killed back at the butcher shop. "C'mon, Benji." Grabbing Ben's arm again, he dragged him out the back stockroom doors, leaving Sam to deal with Andi on his own.

Placing her hands sternly on her hips, she wasted no time demanding, "What was that about?"

Sam grasped at the only thing he could think of to distract his girlfriend. "Hey, how goes the new apartment?" It wasn't until after the words had left his mouth that he remembered how he'd totally flaked when she'd suggested they move in together. Crap.

Clearly, Andi hadn't forgotten. "Sam!"

This time he knew only sincerity would work to make amends. In his best _I know I'm in trouble_ voice, he apologized as best he could. "I'm really sorry about how I acted today."

Sighing, Andi pulled a chair over and sat down next to him so that they were at eye-level. "Look, Sam," she started, "I know this is a big step, and I get it. Moving in together is a huge responsibility. There are issues here, and you're scared." Melting, she reached out to hold his hand, but pulled back at the last second as the heat hit her. "I know it's hard, but we're a team, aren't we? Honey, _please_ talk to me."

Saying nothing at first, Sam weighed her words heavily. Yes, they were a team. The Devil was right. He couldn't hide or make excuses anymore. It was time to grow up and take responsibility, no matter what the consequences. Looking deep into her beautiful brown eyes, he knew it was now or never. Taking a deep breath, he looked down and quietly admitted, "The Devil might be my father."

To his great surprise, Andi sighed in relief. "So that's the big secret, huh? I was wondering." Smiling, she said, "For a minute there, I was worried it might be something really bad."

Puzzled as to why she wasn't taking this more seriously, Sam stressed, "Andi, if I'm part demon, I could be _evil_." For some reason, this grave admission only rewarded him with a _you're such a dumbass_ look, confusing him even further.

"Honey," Andi said slowly, "do you know anything about the Devil?"

"Yeah, lots," he defended petulantly. This conversation was **not** going as planned. "He's the world's biggest dick, loves to see me struggle, and for some reason really likes the Yankees."

Andi chuckled. "I meant his history, Sam. You do know he used to be an angel, right? He was one of God's most important Archangels, until he rebelled and God cast him out."

Unable to see what his girlfriend was getting at, he argued back. "I don't see how that matters, Andi. He's still the Devil. If I'm his son, then like his powers, I must have inherited his evilness too."

Sighing, Andi shook her head in exasperation. "You really are clueless sometimes, Sam." Gazing at him indulgently as if he were a small child, she gently explained. "Baby, my point is he didn't start out a demon, he **chose** to be one. So, if he really is your father, then maybe you inherited the angel part of him instead."

Dumbstruck, silence ruled as Sam grappled to recognize the truth of Andi's words. Finally, he looked at her and quietly breathed, "I love you."

...only to freeze in fear as the mist of his breath was clearly visible in the now suddenly chilled air.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: There is precious little time to save Reaper, and its outlook is not good - not good at all. May upfronts are only a week or two away. Just remember, Reaper was declared dead early on last year too, but came back with a renewal at the last minute. If we gather together, maybe we can get the CW to change its mind. Stare reality in the face and say NO.

If you want to help try and save the show, please click on my profile page. I have all the snail and email addresses, petitions, voting opportunities, etc. listed there.

A/N 2: There is one more chapter left.

* * *

In his life, Sam understood two things: one, he was destined to always have pricks for bosses; and two, his girlfriend was placed on Earth to save his ass. She'd already done so twice since the soul had come after them, not including when she'd grabbed the vessel and shoved it at him as they'd made their escape out of the stockroom and into the main store.

Unfortunately, running and aiming were not his strong suits. The one time he'd tried to turn around to aim the vessel at Fletcher, he'd banged straight into a pole. Andi had saved him again then too, when she ran back, pulled him off the ground, and dragged him behind the cover of the nearest major appliance.

One day, Sam knew he was going to marry her. That is, if she ever stopped throwing him looks of pure exasperation.

"Sam!"

"What?!"

"We need a plan."

At a loss, he stared at her blankly. "Uh, yeah. A plan. Good idea." The scowl his girlfriend was leveling at him almost made him feel he'd be safer with Fletcher. Somehow he didn't think Andi would like that plan.

Frantic voices suddenly came from the direction of the Garden Center. "Sam!" "Over here, Sam!"

Seizing the opportunity, he gestured towards the Center. "My plan is to join them." Checking to see the coast was clear, he saw Fletcher with his back to them. They took off towards their friends. Spotting Ben peeking out from behind a large potting cart, Sam steered her towards the hideout.

But Fletcher had seen them. Diving behind the cart just in time, Andi made it to safety. Sam wasn't so lucky. Suddenly his arm exploded in pain as a rapidly melting dagger finally found its target. He fell, and worse, the vessel skidded out of his grasp into parts unknown. Sam made a futile attempt to scramble in the direction it went, only to shudder at the sound of a frosty voice. He rolled over to see Fletcher's cold smile widen mockingly, as the butcher stood blocking the entrance.

"Did the poor Reaper lose his weapon? Pity. The meat is always more tender when you know the game put up a fight."

Taking advantage of the invitation to fight back, Sam got up to stand in front of the cart shielding his friends. As he moved, he slightly tripped and looked down in confusion. It was the garden hose Sock and Ben had punctured earlier with their flooding prank. Looking back up, Sam noticed Fletcher eyeing the hose curiously too. Tracking the direction of the butcher's gaze as he followed the hose from Sam's feet to the wall where it connected, Sam panicked. The connection was right under a large red button painted with the word ON.

* * *

Seeing the look of realization dawn upon the boy, Fletcher grinned as horror appeared on Sam's face when he sculpted a dagger and threw it, hitting the button. Everywhere, water immediately started streaming upward out of the punctured hoses, in a weird version of an inside rainstorm. Fletcher laughed coldly as he motioned the water towards him, and froze it into tiny, razor-sharp ice needles – then shot them back towards Sam at a deadly velocity. He shook his head in disappointment of the ease of this catch, as the boy pathetically put his hands up in a weak attempt to protect him and his friends from the onslaught.

Only to feel the heat as he discovered his prey refused to be a victim.

* * *

The three heads peeping above the plant cart stared in shock, the sight before them leaving them speechless.

Sam was melting the ice. Hands held determinedly in front of him, he was focusing his heat power into a protective shield the ice could not solidly pass through. It melted the second it hit the heat barrier, assaulting them with gusts of water. Through the storm now assailing them, his friends watched in awe as Sam strained forcibly to create a shield large enough to cover all of them.

Fletcher, on the other hand, looked on in fear – especially as Sam increased the heat barrier to move closer and closer to him. Fletcher increased the sheets of ice now coming towards Sam, in waves that should have pummeled the boy. But still, Sam and his shield held strong.

"Oh my God," Andi whispered, as the three slid down behind the cart in order to protect themselves from the deluge of warm water aimed at them.

"Whoa," Sock echoed. Ben nodded his head in agreement.

Able to see clearer now that she didn't have torrents of water in her eyes, Andi started to search around. "We've got to find the vessel for Sam."

All three inched as far as they dared towards the end of Sam's protective shield and scanned the Garden Center trying to spot the missing hairdryer.

"Look!" Andi suddenly shouted, "I see the vessel! It's right there!"

Sock and Ben turned to where she was frantically pointing. Seeing the hairdryer lying on the ground several feet in front of them, Sock groaned. It was outside of Sam's protective heat shield, and battered by the needle-sharp ice pummeling down upon it. Oddly, the ice was bouncing off the vessel instead of impaling it, but Sock was pretty sure the same wouldn't happen to his hand – or any other part of his body - if he tried to reach out to grab it.

Ben panicked when he realized the situation as well. "How are we going to get it?"

Inspiration suddenly struck Sock. "I got it!" He sat down and started struggling to take off his shoes.

Ben looked at him in shock. "What are you planning to do? Stink him back to Hell?"

"No, Simple Ben!" Finally pulling one shoe off, he held it up by one of its long laces. "I'm going to use it to get the vessel!"

Andi quickly grabbed the shoe away from him. "Sock, this may be the only time I ever say this, but you are a genius. Ben, get the laces out of your shoes too, so we can make this thing longer."

Ben quickly complied, taking the laces out of his shoes and handing them to Andi. She took them and tied them to Sock's shoe. Then moving back, she swung the shoe in a circle until letting it go to fly in a gentle arc over towards the vessel.

It missed.

Groaning, she quickly pulled the shoe back to try again. With a nervous look over at the rapidly draining Sam, Sock urged, "Hurry up!"

"Shut up, Sock!" she barked back. Swinging the shoe over again, this time she managed to hit the hairdryer. Carefully pulling the shoe back, she dragged the vessel towards them. When it reached the heat barrier, and Andi could safely retrieve it, she grabbed it, turned towards the soul, and hit the switch for the vessel.

But the vessel remained still.

"Sam!" she yelled, "it's not working! I can't get it to go!"

Struggling against the increasing waves of ice, Sam barely managed to respond. "It's…heat…activated."

Without removing his concentration from the soul, he pointed one arm towards her. The vessel flew out of Andi's hands and directly to him. With one fluid motion, he caught it one-handed and swept it like a gun towards the soul. Focusing all his power through it, a blast of heat emanated from the nozzle, hitting Fletcher full force. Screaming in agony, he melted. The blast of heat then returned to the vessel - pulling Fletcher along with it.

Sam dropped the vessel in exhaustion. Waves of steam drifted off him, and he fell to the flooded concrete floor. Andi rushed over to him as Ben ran to turn off the water, but Sock stayed still, staring in awe between his best friend and the hair dryer lying a few feet away.

Drenched from head to toe, he shook his head sending water flying in all directions. Finally letting out a loud whoop, he jammed both hands in the air and danced. "That, Sammy? Was _smokin_'."


End file.
